Swimarathon to make a big splash for two charities

Monday 03 May 2021

The Priaulx Premature Baby Foundation and Citizen’s Advice Guernsey have been announced as the joint beneficiaries of this year’s Skipton Swimarathon.

The Priaulx Premature Baby Foundation has been supporting Channel Island families for the past 18 years, while the Citizens Advice service has provided free support to islanders in need for the past four decades.

Event Chairman Nick Guillemette said the Skipton Swimarathon Committee had received 21 applications for various projects, all with their own merits.

"The PPBF and CA’s pleas for urgent support to enable them to continue their proven and well-documented services touched the hearts of all of us," he said. 

“We hope that this year everyone will support the Swimarathon and get behind these projects. I’d like to think that for every pound that our swimmers raise, it could be helping another local family.”

With Citizens Advice needing to make major IT upgrades, CEO Kerry Ciotti CEO of Citizens Advice said the funding would help to future-proof their community services. "With a fully operational IT system in place, we shall have the flexibility, capacity and resilience to continue to support islanders.”

Pictured: The Skipton Swimarathon raised over £70,000 in 2020, the largest amount in the 44-year history of the event.

Jo Priaulx, Co-Founder of the PPBF, said everyone at the charity is "very grateful" to receive a financial boost towards their vital work. 

“The generosity truly will make a huge difference in helping us to continue to provide invaluable support to local families going through immensely difficult times."

The Skipton Swimarathon is jointly organised by the Lions and Round Table, and will take place between 29 September and 3 October, with registration opening to the public in June.

In addition to supporting the Skipton Swimarathon, the firm's Community Fund also provides support to smaller charitable projects across the Channel Islands.

Pictured top: Back row: Mike Ozanne (Guernsey Round Table), Aaron Walden (Commercial Manager at Skipton) and John McLoughlin (Guernsey Lions). Front row: Andy Priaulx, Jo Priaulx (both from the PPBF); Nick Guillemette (Chairman, Skipton Swimarathon), Kerry Ciotti (CAB) and Alison Vine (CAB).